ketchup

Labor Day is right around the corner. I haven’t even solidified our plans yet. Is anyone else like me–Waiting until the last-minute to decide what to do? This seems like the last hurrah for Summer and I want to make sure to get the “best bang for my buck”. This recipe will go along with any and all of your plans. It is so simple you can decide to grill Hamburgers and Hot dogs at the last-minute and have this as a great side dish. Enjoy your Labor Day Week-end– whatever you decide to do.

Directions

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Discard drippings.

In the same skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Combine the beef mixture, bacon, beans, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, mustard and salt. Spoon into a greased 2-qt. baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 45-60 minutes or until the beans are as thick as desired. Recipe can be easily doubled for a larger group.

That’s all for this week. Until next time…From our Butcher Block to your Table.

I missed doing my Blog last week. When we were in Mexico my mom was hospitalized. I went down last Tuesday and spent time with her. I actually cooked her pasta and meatballs and made freezer meals for her to enjoy.

I am back in the saddle this week. I am sharing this recipe for Cheeseburger Salad. The Butcher and I really enjoyed this. The Butcher rated it 8.6. I don’t know what we would have to do to raise the rating. Until the weather warms up, you can cook the burgers and grill the onions in an iron skillet.

Grill or cook the burgers in an iron skillet. Cook the sliced onions 4 to 5 minutes after the burgers are done. Put lettuce, pickles, tomato, avocado, diced onion into a bowl. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Put 1/4 of the grilled onions, cheese, and 1 chopped patty on each plate. Drizzle 1/4th of the dressing on each plate. Enjoy!

It sometimes takes me awhile to get on board, but once I’m on it’s full speed ahead! I had one of those moments last week-end. We were having a rib cook-off with some people from our church. Everyone was using Baby Back Ribs so I thought, why not? I took 3 Baby Back Ribs. I had the Butcher cut them in two. I was still a little skeptical. I put 1 1/2 ribs in 2 roaster pans. The rest is history. Even the Butcher was impressed. I hope you enjoy these–with my method, you can have delicious ribs all year long!

Ingredients

3 Baby Back Ribs (cut in 2 by the Butcher at your local meat market)

3 to 4 tablespoons of Smokey Barbecue Rub

4 cups of ketchup

3 tablespoons of mustard

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1 small diced onion

2 tablespoons of worscestershire sauce

Instructions

Mix together ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, diced onion, worcestershire sauce in a sauce pan and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside. (You can do this while the ribs are cooking)

Rub each rib half with the Smokey Barbecue rub. Put three rib halves in a roaster pan. Put the lids on the roasters and place in the middle rack of the oven which has been heated to 325 degrees. Cook for 3 hours. At this point, the ribs should be fork tender. Reduce heat to 200 degrees and continue cooking for 2 hours. Drain ribs and return to the roaster pan. Cover with the barbecue sauce. Put the lids on the roaster and heat thoroughly (1 hour). Ribs will be falling off the bones.

I don’t know about you, but I am ready to simplify a little. The Butcher has been feeling the same way. He has been asking me for jello lately. I have a designated bowl, and when it is empty I make more jello. As we speak I have orange jello with mandarin orange slices setting up in his “bowl”. It doesn’t get any easier than this. I used 2 single packets of orange jello, I mixed in 16 ounces of boiling water, and stirred until the gelatin was dissolved. I then drained a can of mandarin oranges. I added water to the juice to make it 16 ounces and added it to the jello mixture. I let it set up in the refrigerator for about 1 hour and 15 minutes (the jello will be slightly thickened) and I stirred in the mandarin oranges. It is simple, but it keeps the Butcher happy.

Just as simple as the jello is the meatloaf recipe I am going to share with you today. When you make this, just remember sometimes the best things are the “simple” things.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the ground meat, Meatloaf Seasoning packet and water and form into a “loaf”. Put the meatloaf in a baking dish. Cover the top of the meatloaf with ketchup. Layer the bacon on the top of the meatloaf–the more the better. This is delicious when it is cooked.

Bake the meatloaf in the oven for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. You can put redskin potatoes around the meatloaf and let them bake with the meatloaf.

Your family will love this, and you may just feel a little “old-fashioned” as you serve this meal.

Have a wonderful day. Until next time…From our Butcher Block to your Table.